Don Hale Blog

*Pictured above - the Pocket Rocket - Juliet Sidney in action. Welsh Masters athlete Juliet Sidney (the pocket rocket) reflects on an incredible year on the track.. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk That's my athletics done for 2024. Definitely a year of ups and downs, but I hung on in there to have some strong performances and good results.   Indoor Highlights:  60m indoor w55 Welsh and British champion. Made my first 200m indoor European final. Bronze medal 4 x 200 w50 European masters championships  Outdoor Highlights:  100m and 200m w55 Welsh and British Champion. Managed a W55 PB in the 100m and a PB in the 200m.   Made my first world outdoor final in the 100m.   First ever world medal 4 x 100m silver.  So many people to thank  @elite82high  for overall training programme. Eric Oram speed sessions. Helen James for your support and guidance. Team-mates and Newport Harriers for their support to masters athletics and athletes.  Neil Sidney for all h

*Three Bexley AC athletes (*pictured above), at Corby, from left to right, Graham Holder, Andy Rushbrook, and Peter Hawley. Some interesting results for Welsh Masters athletes at the Inter-Area T&F championships at Corby.... Brett Davis reports on the success of WMAL athletes.   Three athletes from Bexley AC represented Welsh Masters Athletics at the Inter-Area track and field championships at Corby last weekend in the throwing events. This included M50  Graham Holder,  shot, discus, and hammer, M60  Andy Rushbrook , shot and high jump, and M70  Peter Hawley  shot. The men came 6th out of 9 teams with wins from  Graham Holder  for the hammer,  Glyn Price  for the pole vault and the M60, 4 x 100m relay team ( Rod Davies ,  Brett Davis ,  Ian Broadhurst , and  Paul Williams ). The women came an amazing 2nd out of 9 teams with wins from  Kath Morgan  W35 high jump,  Mel Garland  W60 high jump, 100m and long jump,  Michelle Thomas  W50 100m and 200m,  Ewelina Ciesielska  W35 3000m and

*Kevin Higgins (*pictured above), had a double  date in Lithuania. Two races in a day for Kevin Higgins in Lithuania.   Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk Kevin Higgins  competed in two different races in Vilnius in Lithuania last Sunday. He ran in a 5k event at 2.30pm in 24 degrees and recorded a time of 28.16, finishing 539th out of about 3,000 runners. He later ran in a 10k race at 4pm when it was even hotter at 26 degrees. He completed that event in 59.58, and he was 953rd out of about 2,200 runners. Kevin later confirmed:  “I ran the races with Kieran McGrane. Both races were undulating and 60 per cent on cobble stones. They were great with lots of support all the way around and throughout the city. Today’s races today take me near my 500th race for North Wales Road Running Club.” *Kevin Higgins shown above at his two races. Other race results: *Corby: Steve Gardner  ran in the Inter-Area track and field championships at Corby last

*Pictured above - some of the highly successful North Wales Road Running team at the Caernarfon half-marathon race. (l-r): Front row - Helen Hannam, Nia Lister, and Hannah Griffith; and (*back row l-r): Adam Lemalle, Steve Roberts, Kevin Slattery, Rob Fryer, Stuart  Culverhouse, Daniel Hennell and Will Evans. Podium places and ten regional medals for the Road Runners at the Caernarfon half-marathon. Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   There was a massive turnout of over five hundred runners at the Caernarfon half marathon event on Sunday which also featured the North Wales Regional Championships. The  Road Runners  entered a large contingent of fifteen members and celebrated with five prestigious podium places in the main race, including three age cat victories, plus ten championship medals, with six gold, one silver, and three bronze medals amidst the 504 finishers. *Jonathan Kettle (*above in the white vest), is pictured with a leadi

*Rachel Morris (*above), claimed another prestigious medal at the GNR. Rachel Morris and her parents Brian and Hilda competed in the Great North Run... Report by Don Hale . https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk *Pictured above left - Rachel Morris, and (*right), her parents Brian and Hilda Limacher at the Great North Run.   North Wales Road Runner Rachel Morris joined her parents Brian and Hilda Limacher in the famous Great North Run last Sunday in some challenging conditions with some heavy showers and high humidity. The family   made the long trek to Newcastle for this epic event which attracted over 60,000 entrants, including some top international athletes, with many participants often raising tens of thousands of pounds for various charities. Rachel  said she enjoyed her run and confirmed that her parents took part in the race again. Rachel finished well in 2.49.41.  Hilda and Brian  ran the course together and finished in 3.42.11. She later said: “60,00

*Pictured above - Rachel Morris (*left), with Lesley Goodson at the finish of the Great North Run. Road Running duo competed in the Great North Run. Report by Don Hale.  https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com Two members of North Wales Road Runners competed in the famous Great North Run last Sunday in some challenging conditions with heavy rain and high humidity. Lesley Goodson and Rachel Morris , made the long trek to Newcastle for the start of this epic event which attracted over 60,000 entrants, including  some  top international athletes, with many other participants raising tens of thousands of pounds for various charities. Lesley returned to road racing for the first time in several years and so she was naturally very pleased with her good time of 1.47.53 and afterwards confirmed: “My first road race since pre-Covid. Feeling pretty chuffed with myself with that.”  Rachel Morris  also enjoyed her run and confirmed that her parents, Brian and Hilda Limacher, also took part in the race a

  Bangor City 10K & Half Marathon. Date: 6th October 2024. This race starts and finishes in the city centre and goes out to the coastline  and along the Garth Pier over the Menai Straits taking in views of Anglesey, Snowdonia and the surrounding North Wales coastline, then on to the woodland paths filled with autumn colours, then back to the finish in the city centre.  See you on the start line, Chris Yorke, Race Director. https://www.runwales.com/e/bangor-city-10k-and-half-marathon-8597 https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   Cost for the 10k:  Affiliated  £28,  Unaffiliated  £30, (YOU MUST BE AT LEAST 15 YEARS OLD ON RACE DAY)   Cost for the half marathon:  Affiliated  £37,  Unaffiliated  £39, (YOU MUST BE AT LEAST 17-YEARS OLD ON RACE DAY)   Includes a quality bespoke Medal and Technical T-shirt (10k and Half Marathon)   RACE DAY INFORMATION Start Times:  10am   Race HQ / Enquiries:  Opens at 8am inside the Deiniol Shopping Centre.   Number and chip: P

Kinmel Bay hit the goal trail against Rhuddlan Town in the FAW Amateur Cup... Kinmel Bay FC (5) v Rhuddlan Town FC (0): In the FAW Amateur Trophy 24/25. Match report and some great action photos by Barry Griffiths . https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com Rhuddlan FC play on the Pengwern College grounds, where they assist  the college in its good work for young people. They came to Y Morfa for  this  round in the FAW Amateur Trophy.  Both teams attacked and defended well through the first half, and it was not  until  the 66th minute of play the Bay broke through, with   Daniel McIlvogue   assisted  by Jordan Bellham, starting the deluge of goals for the KBFC.   Most goals were scored in goalmouth close encounters with the tally as follows:  77 mins  Sean Sheridan  assisted by Ryan Roberts; 80 mins captain  Charlie  Jones  assisted by Jacob Jones; 80 mins  Sean Sheridan  assisted by  Jordan Bellham; 85min  Sean Sheridan  Assisted by Ryan Roberts. *Jacob Jones and Sean Sheridan were substitutes

*Pictured above - Steve Bozier led home the NWRRC team at Conwy. Four age category wins for the Road Runners at Conwy parkrun...plus other results. Report by Don Hale. https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com www.welshmastersathletics.co.uk   North Wales Road Runners entered thirteen members at the Conwy parkrun last Saturday and claimed four age category wins and former NWRRC athlete Josh Keogh was the first finisher overall with an excellent finishing time of 18 minutes and 37 seconds. Starting from the RSPB Nature Reserve, this popular 5k event attracted numerous runners from various parts of the UK, in addition to welcoming back some of their own club runners following some long periods of absence. And also, it should be noted, that due to some other competing fixtures on another busy weekend, many runners took it steady in the rather heavy and humid weather. Steve Bozier  displayed a positive performance and led the club team home with a strong finish in 11th place in 21.00, and he was 2n